Waxy materials such as slack waxes and waxes prepared from hydrocarbon synthesis processes, e.g., the Fischer-Tropsch process, can be upgraded to valuable materials, such as distillate transportation fuels, by hydroconversion processes including hydrocracking coupled with isomerization. The need exists for catalyst with satisfactory conversion and high selectivity to the desired distillate product.
Recent publications regarding the use of pillared clays as supports for hydroconversion processes have been of two minds: pillared clays with a noble metal component are likened to standard noble metal loaded large pore zeolite hydrocracking catalysts where cracking is excessive and selectivity is less than desirable at high conversions, see Doblin, C. et al., Applied Catalysis, 70 (1991) 197-212; while in a separate publication, other authors concluded that insufficient acidity existed in Al-pillared montmorillonites for achieving bifunctional properties, i.e., Molina, R. et al., J. Catal. 148, 304-314 (1994).
This invention, however, provides a pillared clay catalyst of excellent selectivity to desired distillates.